So today was a good day. We went to the Nagoya Palace (built in 1613, destroyed in WWII and reconstructed in the 50s, and is still undergoing reconstruction today!! and spent some time there. Twas a very cool place - very beautiful. It sits really high above the city so you can really see a lot and its quite lovely. I took tons of pictures.
We went to lunch at this cool buffet-like place only there is a huge grill thing in the middle of your table - not unlike Shabu Shabu, but its not filled with water. So you grab a tray and some dishes and fill it with rice, veggies, curry and raw meat. I only took one piece of beef. There was something yucky and unapetizing to me about looking at a wall of shelves of ..dead and picking some up and cooking it. A little at a time - sure! For a family of 4 - sure!! But trays and trays and shelves of raw meat was just not...yummy. But the veggies and soups and noodles and junk were delicious so i was satisfied. Also the dessert was abundant. So was my sweet tooth.
We got to the venue early. It was on the bigger side, but the acousitcs were not so hot. I was nervous today because Dr.Don announced that i'd be singing again (which has been the norm - i have sung at pretty much all but 2 or maybe 3 concerts!!) but ive been sick and my voice sounds very tired, but the other leaders said it sounded just fine and i felt okay about it anyway so ....all is well i suppose!!
We rehearsed for a little while and had about an hour and a half to chillax before the concert. I went with Rachel across the street 1. To avoid dinner (we were so full from luch!!) and 2. to see the beautiful park across the street. I went a little nutso with pictures there but i couldn't help it, it was SO GORGEOUS. I wish there was a park like this in Provo!!
The concert went well. It, like the other Japanese concerts, started at 6:30 instead of 7:30, but for some reason Dr. Don indulges in playing MORE music because of the earlier start time - so at 6:30 we started our two hour and fifteen minute long concert (19 pieces total - including the 3 encore pieces...) It went well. Nothing too special. But afterwards the members of the church who were there really wanted to meet us. They were SO gracious and kind, it was a joy to meet with them. Later, our leaders explained that Nagoya is a big-time hub of automobile stuff and has taken the hardes hit economically in Japan so it was really impressive for there to be as many people as we had a the concert. One family wrote us a note about how much they liked the concert and told us how their daugther, in 9th grade, had some serious tests to take today and tomrorow but she:s a clarinet player and really wanted to come to this concert. The note explained that they prayed that she would be able to study hard and do well on these tests so the daughter woke up at 3 am this morning so she could study enough AND come to the concert today. They said it really mean ta lot to them that we would come so far and they have no doubt our music would make miracles happen in this area. Crazy!!!!
The next few days should be interesting. We are scheduled to do a lot in Osaka, however - thereare about 230 cases of reported swine flu symptoms/incidents and EVERYONE in the city is wearing masks. Task A. Get all of wind symphony masks. Schools and stuff there are closed as well because they're paranoid. Task B. Cancel activities with high schools and middle schools. They dont think anyone will come to our concert unless we provide masks, but all the masks in osaka are sold out. Task C. Prevent cancellation of our final concert by importing 1000 masks from Tokyo to Osaka for the audience members. Task D - do not conctract swine flu. (But we're not too worried - apparently people here are uber paranoid.)
Soooo anyway - not much else is new. We have another late start tomorrow morning so it will be nice to get some extra sleep again. We are just doing sight seeing and such in Kyoto and then going on to Osaka - nothing too intense (other than more bullet train acition YEAH!)
Enjoy the pictures! I love you all!!
Lunch time!!
We watched this 9-minute presentation about the Nagoya palace. It was definitely in 3D and our 'tour guide' was an animated version of one of the dudes that ruled over Nagoya a few hundred years ago. At the end of the movie he gave a shpiel about how he hopes the palace can be restored and we can all, someday, meet there again together. Then he vanished in a whirlwind of sunshine-icons and daisies as he said 'farewell!' Man..leave it to the Asians...
There are these giant gold dolphins on top of the palace. You can kinda see them in the next picture. They were supposedly to protect against fire...too bad WWII got in the way of that one....
This is the Nagoya palace. And me. 
Bahaha. We had fun with this one. 
There was a BEAUTIFUL rose garden in the park across from the venue!
Apparaently 'Amazing Grace' is the girl on the right's favorite song! Her mom said it made her cry tonight! They were really nice people.
I met a friend in the park. So. Cute. (And nice to boot! Reminded me of Bonny..gee, i wonder why...)
A small taste of the beautiful park in front of the venue (the big building in the back.)
The Venue!!
umm.. that really looks like Bonnie! I thought it was!
ReplyDeleteP.s. I got the Office Coordinator job!